Sorting machine for record cards



Dec. 24, 1 935. MAUL 23125602 SORTING MACHINE FOR RECORD CARDS Filed Jan. 6, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 III" 1| n ebwenlork Dec. 24, 1935.

SORTING MACHINE FOR RECORD CARDS Filed Jan. 6, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fiwezzlor M. MAUL 2,025,602

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Dec.-24, 1935. M. MAUL SORTING MACHINE FOR RECORD CARDS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 6, 1932 Jiwenfor: /AM/ Patented Dec. 24, 1935 UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE SORTING, MACHINE FOR anconn CARDS Michael Maul, Berlin-Johannisthal, Germany Application January 6, 1932, Serial No. 585,026 In Germany January 16, 1931 12 Claims.

type referred to wherein only two sets of storing devices are necessary for retaining the result of the analysis, which sets are common to said plurality of record decks and which may be selectively rendered responsive to a record column in any one of said record decks.

A further very important object of the invention is to make provision in a sorting machine of the type referred to for selectively changing the controlling action of the record card perforations upon the sorting mechanism to control the latter in the .same manner under the control of different perforations. I

A further object is to provide in a machine of the type indicated common analyzing means for a plurality of record decks. 1 i

Still another object isto provide a machine of the type indicated which is adapted to operate upon combinational holes record cards.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type indicated wherein one set of said storing devices is in each machine cycle under record card control while the other set controls the sorting mechanism, and wherein between subsequent sorting operations the latter set is adjusted by the first mentioned set.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be seen from the following specification and claims.

The invention may be embodied in various ways as well electrically as mechanically, and the electrical sorting machine which will now be described represents only a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a section through a sorting machine according to the present invention, permitting sorting of cards having a plurality of hole combinational record decks.

Fig. 2 shows the set-up and translator mechanism which is under the control of the hole combinations and which is adapted to control the sorting chutes.

Fig. 3 shows diagrammatically the arrangement of the sorting boxes of the sorting machine;

as will be seen there are 15 sorting boxes provided, -one for the perforation 0, thirteen sorting boxes for the numerical perforations I to l3, and

one special box for imperforate cards.

Fig. 4' shows in an enlarged scale a section 5 through the sorting machine, illustrating theknown card lever contact.

Fig. 5 shows" in a reduced scale a record card having an upper and lower hole combinational record deck. a

Fig. 6 shows the scheme or key according to which the cards in Fig. 5 are perforated. J

Fig. '7 shows in an enlarged scale a vertical section through the sorting entrances of the sorting machine. l5

Fig. 8 shows also in an enlarged scale a longitudinal section, through the terminals of the sorting chutes.

Fig. -9 shows the circuit diagram ,of the sorting machine.

' Fig. 10 shows another hole combinational key according to which cards as shown in Fig. 5 may be perforated.

Fig. 11 shows a switch mechanism through which cards can be directed into the same sort- 2 ing boxes depending upon the fact whether they are perforated according to one of the keys shown in Fig. 6 or in Fig. 10.

In the sorting machine shown in Fig. 1 the cards are fed by means of the knives l2 of the feeding drum l3 from the stack II to the left past the analyzing brush l8 which will contact the contact roller l5 upon the passage of a hole. The brush I8 is fastened on a brush holder seated on the insulating block ll which is movable laterally along the worm IS in order to' permit adjustment of the analyzing brush upondifferent record columns. The brush holder of the brush l8 slides along a contact bar l9 serving as current supply bar for the brush. The cards are fed by the feed rollers l4, l4, l4" and the sorting mechanism still to be described to the sorting boxes 20. The sorting chutes 2i terminate in the known manner on the holders 23 arranged on the walls 24 and their front terminals 22 are arranged in overlapping relation and form the entrances for the record cards to the sorting boxes.

Provision has been made in such a way that the width of the sorting boxes 20 corresponds about to the width of the card while the distance between the first and the third (M) and the third (W) and the fifth pair of rollers l4" (counted from the right) corresponds to one complete maing one operating cycle from the rollers M to M" and during that period the sorting chutes 2|, 22 are controlled in accordance with the meaning of the previously analyzed hole combination. Though the sorting chutes are con trolled in a generally well known manner, I will briefly explain said control in connection with Figs. 7 and 8. The terminals of the sorting chutes 22 engage an angle plate 8 being movable in downward direction in a slot and being normally held in its upper position by a pivotally mounted arm I3l in such a manner that the card II will move between the fingers 22 and plate 8. The plate 8 is pivotally mounted at I36. If the sorting magnet 42 is energized and draws the arm l3| to the left against the tension of the spring I32, the resilient fingers 22 will follow the downward movement of the plate 8 as will be seen from Fig. 8 provided that there is no card ll between the fingers 22 and plate 8. If a card has been fed past-the fingers, as in Fig. 8, a separation will be effected between the fingers lying upon the card and those which rest still on the plate 8, and the card will therefore be guided in the corresponding entrance and will then be fed by the feeding rollers into a box correspondingto the meaning of the analyzed hole combination.

Fig. 4 shows the well known card contact 46 being under the control of the card lever 44. As long as cards are running one by one through the machine the lever 44 will be pressed by said cards downwardly and will hold the contact 46 closed so that the operation of the machine will be automatically, maintained and will be automatically interrupted after exhaustion of the card supply.

The operation of the machine is now generally as follows: upon the passage of a card past the analyzing brush I8 and depending upon the adjustment still to be described to one of a plurality of decks, analysis of the selected column of said deck takes place and the result of said analysis is adjustedin the set-up mechanism. At the end of the first operating cycle the adjustment of the set-up mechanism will be transferred to the translator and if then during the following machine cycle the card passes beneath the sorting fingers 22 the translator will cause the control of the fingers in accordance with the meaning of the analysis; the result of said analysis is transferred between two operating cycles from the set-up mechanism to the translator mechanism so that always during the one operating cycle the analysis of a card can be effected while simultaneously i. e. during the same operating cycle sorting of the preceding card will take place.

From the supply line bar l9 of the analyzing brush -l8'leads a line 6 (Fig. 9) to a switch Hi0 being connected either to a line 50' orto a line 59" leading to the mechanism shown'more in detail in Fig. 2. If the upper hole combinational deck shall be analyzed this switch is adjusted as shown in Fig. 9' in the left hand position while described will be effected. The lines 58 and 50" lead to a commutator generally indicated at 21 (Fig. 2) whose contact arm 38 rotates once in each machine cycle. During said rotation the arm conducts all contact pieces 28' one by one to the contact strip 26 and then all contact pieces 28" one by one to the strip 26". However, a connection with the analyzing brush is only effected depending upon the position of the switch I so that a current will flow from the contact roller l5 (Fig. 9) to one of both lines 50' or 50" i. e. depending upon the position of the switch I09 either the upper orthe lower record deck is ineffective while the other deck is adapted to release controlling impulses adapted to control the sorting operation. The contact pieces 28', 28" are arranged in such a way that they are con nected by the arm 30 with their coordinated contact strip if the corresponding hole positions of the record columns of both decks pass beneath the brush. Consequently, depending upon the selection of one of both decks and the perforation in the selected column of said deck, a current will flow through the magnets 29 which are paralle'lly arranged to the contact pieces 28, and said current will energize the magnets 29 thereby causing adjustment of the set-up mechanism.

Now, in connection with Fig. 2 I will describe the above mentioned set-up mechanism as well as the known translator mechanism for hole combinations. As has been mentioned before, a complete machine cycle lasts alittle-longer than corresponds to the passage of the record card shown in Fig. 5 past the analyzing brush, l8. During this machine cycle the contact arm 30, shown in Fig. 2 in its normal position, rotates synchronously with the passage of the card past the analyzing brush l8 and if the hole positions of the card pass beneath the brush l8, the contact pieces 28 will be connected in accordance with the passage of said positions under the brush by the arm 30 one by one with the contact strips 26. Each hole in a certain position of a selected deck will release a current impulse leading from line H6 over I99, 58 or 50", 26' or 26", contact 28 and the magnet 29 inserted in the circuit in this moment, and then over the common back line 3| of all magnets to the left side 32 of the current source. It will be clearly seen that after a rec- 0rd column has passed under the'brush M, the

magnets 29 of the same roman numeral meaning will have been energized as indicated by the.

perforated positions of the respective column of the selected deck. Each magnet 29 controls a bell crank lever 33, 34 which is held by a spring against the bottom plate 38 so that the bar is i normally held in the position illustrated in the drawings. Each bar 36 has a catch lip 39 which is just above'a pawl 53 pivotally mounted at 52. The pawl 53 is drawn by a spring 54 against a stop 55 as may be seen from the drawings. .All pawls 53 of a record column are mounted upon-a common bar 51 extending through the side walls 58, 60 to the outside of the casing. The bar 51 is normally drawn to the left by lever 6| and spring 62 so that the flanges 63 engage the walls 58 and 69. The bar 57 is also connected on each of both ends by means of pin and slot connections with bars 64 drawing the bar 51 by means of springs 65 upwardly. The bars 64 are connected by pin and slot connections with (at 68) pivotally mounted armatures 66 of solenoids 61. If both solenoids 61 are simultaneously and instantaneously energized, the bars 64 are moved downwardly and consequently also the bar 51 will be moved downwardly in the slots 68 of the walls 58 and 68 and will return again to its home position under the influence ofsprings 65 if the magnets 61 are deener'gized. The lever 6I'being pivotally mounted at 18 is rocked in clockwise direction upon energization of magnet 12 and thereby the bar 51 is moved to the right and the slots of the same move in the lower pins of the bar 64.

The mechanism which has now been described, comprising the bars 36, pawls 53 etc. represents the set-up mechanism proper which is adapted to cooperate with the storing or translator mechanism now to be described. The translator mechanism comprises four bars 13 being coordinated to the set-up bars 36. The bars 13 are guided in slots of the translator casing and aredrawn by springs 14 with their lower ends againstthe bottom plate 15 and are thus held in the position illustrated in the drawings. In a similar way as has been explained in connection with the set-up mechanism, each bar 13 has a catch lip 16 adapted to cooperate in a similar way as above described with a pawl 11. The pawls 11 are mounted upon a common pawl carrier 18 guided in slots of the walls 58, 68 and being normally drawn under the influence of a spring 8| to the left by means of a lever 88 pivotally mounted at 18. The bar 18, however, is (contrarily to the pawl carrier 51) movable only in horizontal direction and is moved to the right upon energization of magnet" 82. The bars 13 are provided in a known way with a number of shift contacts 83 which are adapted'to select (depending upon the adjustment of the bars 13 in different combinations) a single live line between the line 84 and one of the lines 85. The ends of lines 85 are connected with contact pieces 86 of a commutator being generally indicatedat' 81; the contacts 86 are equally spaced upon the circumference of the commutator 81 corresponding to one complete machine cycle, however, between the first and last contact piece there is a certain blank space corresponding to the distance between two subsequent cards. Thesorting magnet 42 is connected to a contact strip" 88 of the commutator 81, The commutator 81 includes a contact arm 88 rotating once during each machine cycle synchronously with the passage of the card under the brush and thereby connecting the contacts 86 one by one with the contact strip 88. Since the bars 13 are then adjusted in different combinations depending upon the analyzed hole combination as will still be described, a live line 85 will therefore be selected corresponding to the meaning of the hole combination. If the arm 88 slides over the contact piece 86 of the selected line 85,

in thesame moment a current impulse will be sent through magnet 42 and since the previously strip 8| and three. adjacent contact pieces 82.

The. arm 83 of said commutator which is shown in Fig. ,2 inits normal position, rotates synchronously with the arms 38 and 88 of the two other, illustrated commutators and, as will be clearly seen from the drawings, said arm connects during the blank space between two, subsequent machine cycles at firstthe right, then 5 the middle and finally the left hand contact piece 82 with the contact strip which is connected to the left side 32 of the current source. The right hand contact piece 82 is connected over line 84 to the magnet 82, the backline 85 of which leads 10 to the right hand side 25 of the current source.

. The middle contact piece 82 is connected over.

line 86 with two magnets 61 being in series, said magnets being also connected to the right hand side 25 of the current source. The left contact 15 piece 82 is connected over line 81 to the magnet 12 having a back line 88 leading also to the right hand side 25. During the synchronous movement of all commutator arms 38, 88 and 83, the contact arm 88 will analyze the contacts 86 dur- 20 ing the whole machine cycle whileabout in the first or second half respectively of the machine cycle the contacts 28 (corresponding to the arrangement of the hole positions upon the card according to Fig. 5) are analyzed by the contact 25 arm 83 and during the period between two subsequent machine cycles the contact arm 83 will energize at first the magnet 82, then over line 88 the two magnets 61 and thereupon the magnet I2.

Now the operation of the various parts will be explained more in detail in connection with the operation of the whole machine. If the machine is in normal position all parts are in the position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. If the machine 35 is then started and the respective hole combination column of the first record card passes under the brush l4 the arm 38 will connect the contacts 28 one by one and the magnets 28 will be instantaneously energized in accordance with the passage of the holes of a column of the selected deck under the brush. Through this energization the coordinated bell crank levers 33, 34 will instantaneously be rocked in clockwise direction thereby pressing their control bars 36 downwardly; the lip 38 of each bar snaps then behind the latch 53 so that the bar will be retained if the arm 33, 34 returns to its normal position under the influence of spring 35. At the end of the passage of a hole combination 5:) past the analyzing brush I4 the control bars 38 will therefore be adjusted or set up in the same way, i. e. either singly or in difierent combinations as determined by the holes of the record column which has passed under the brush. As 55 has been already mentioned, the magnets 28 may be controlled selectivelyby the upper or lower deck, depending upon the position of the switch I88. During the first machine cycle, however, also the arm 38 has been rotated and the contacts 86 will have been analyzed one by one. Since,.however, the translator bars 13 remain during this cycle in their illustrated home position in which noconnection between line 84 and any one of the lines 85 is established, the magnet 42 will receive no current impulse during the first cycle..so that the machine performs an idle cycle. An actuated cross bar 36 is pressed by its magnet 28 sofar downwardly and is held by the latch 53 in such a position that its lower 7 0 end is just'above the head of the coordinated bar I3, however, without engaging the same so that the respectivebarsfl are not influenced by the movement of bars 36 which is due to the energization of magnets 28. 7

. Now, at'the end of thefirst machine cycle and before the beginning of thesecondmachine cycle the three contacts 92 of the commutator 90 will be connected one, by one, with the contact strip SI; this causes at first a current impulse over line 94 to the magnet 82 thereby energizing the same andmoving the pawl carrier 18 to the right. This movement serves to release all control bars 13 which have been latched in the previous Inachine cycle. Since, however, during the first machine cycle no control bars 13 have been adjusted there will also be no release inthis moment and the movement of the bar 18 to the right at the end of the first machine cycle will be an idle movement. Thereupon the two magnets Bl will be simultaneously energized over line 96 thereby moving the control bar 51 downwardly by means of bars 64. It has already been explained that the bars 36 are kept in latched position in a combination corresponding to the hole combination punched in the column of the preceding card and that the lower ends of the actuated set-up bars are just above the heads of the coordinated bars 13 while the bars 36 which have not been set up will remain in their illustrated position. Consequently, if bars 51 are moved downwardly, they will also move their coordinated translator bars 13 downwardly which will then be held latched in the lower position by the pawls I1. It therefore after deenergization of the magnets 61 the control bar 57 has again returned to the illustrated position, the adjustment of the bars 36 will have been transferred to the bars 13 and these bars are then adjusted in the same way as determined by the hole combination which has passed under the brush. In accordance with the adjustment of bars I3 a current circuit will be selected over one of the lines 85, said circuit corresponding to the meaning of the analyzed hole combination; however, this circuit will not yet be efiective since there is no conducting connection between the contacts 86 and the contact strip 88. Upon the further movement of arm 93between two subsequent machine cycles the magnet 12 will be energized over line 91 and consequently the control bar 51 will be moved to the right; the bar 51 is held during said movement in the illustrated horizontal position by bars 64. Consequently to their movement to'the right, the pawls 63 are disengaged from the noses 39 so that all latched bars 36 are permitted to return underthe influence of springs 51 to normal position.

It will be clearly seen that before. the beginning of the second machine cycle the translatorv bars 13 are adjusted in accordance with the hole combination of the column of the selected deck oi. the preceding card and that the set-up bars 36 are in their normal position in which they are ready to be set up by the hole combinations of the following card. Now, during thersecond ma chine cycle, exploitation of the adjustment of the translator is effected by the arm "89, and it will be clearly seen that for this exploitation the 'whole machine cycle is available. Duringthe second machinecycle the magnet 42 will therefore be controlled in a 'sense corresponding to.

the meaning of the analyzed hole combinational column or the preceding card and during .the

same machine cycle thecommutator 21 efl'ects':

the control of the set-up bars36corresponding to the hole combination of the second card which now follows. j

These operations'wili now cyclically; continue as long as cards are passing through the machine,

. vious adjustment and thereupon the adjustment 5 of the set-up bars 36 is transferred to the bars I3 (the new adjustment of which is then 'xploited during the'i'ollo'wing machine cycle) and after the transferring operation the bars 36 are released to free the same for the set up by the 10 following hole combination. If the card supply is exhausted the machine is automatically stopped inthe described manner; a further machine cycle will then be necessary in order to exploit the adjustment of the translator from the last card: 15 for this purpose the stop key may again be depressedafter the automatic stop in the generally; known way or a retarding mechanism maybe coordinated to the machine holding the same in operation for one machine cycle longer. i 20 The circuitdiagram of the machine is shown in Fig. 9. The machine is connected by the switch I30 with the current source I20 so thatto the lines 32, 25 the following circuits are paralover the stop contact I, start contact H2, relay- I I3 and relay H4 to the right hand side 25. start contact 2 is bridged by the contact fifi held closed by the lever when the machine is in operation. The motor I." is connected by the 30 relay H4 to the lines 32 and 25. From thefleitf side 32 leads also a line N18 to the current supply brush sliding upon the contact roller l5, and' the analyzing brush l8 is'connected through a linet H6 to the switch I00. The lines 50' and 50"dead135 to the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 more in detail: which has already been described; said mecha: nism controls the sorting operation in the-gee; scribed manner. In order to start the-machine for operati I the contact 2 is closed by-the start key t the relays H3 and Ill become energized, thei l: ter being adapted to close themotor'current cuit. The start key must be depressed-long enough until the contact 46 has been closedb'y ia to the translator whereupon the'set-up nism is again restored-"Then; during the second machine cycle the control'ot the strung chut v efi'ected in the above described manner in aiicor ance with the adjustment or the 'trai'islator ine t: anism, and simultaneously the set-up is controlled by the second'card; these operations will continue until the card supply is exhahstd whereupon the machine is'automatically stopped The last cards are fed in the manner" their-sorting boxes by depressing again 'the sta i't key of the machine until the have arrived in their boxes, u :zxr

If desirable, difier'ent -hole combinations as 7D be fed in diflerent sortingopemuqn zmwrr m 2:. same sorting boxes; for "instancep'it 1in one an: lug-operationsortingshali lbeeifected' I to alphabetical charactersiwhilefmzanothr sort- I] in: operation sorting shall be enacted accordinl I to numerical characters. For this purpose a switch mechanism shown in Fig. 11 may be provided which must only be insertedbetween the lines of Fig. 2 and the commutator 81. This switch mechanism can be adjusted manually in accordance with the desired perforation key. If the-switch is shifted to the lower position as shown in Fig. 11 its adjustment corresponds to a hole combinational key according to Fig. 6while upon adjustment in the upper position (not being shown) sorting is effected according to the key in Fig. 10 so that different hole combinations will be fed into the same sorting boxes shown in Figs. 6 and 7. I

As will be seen from a comparison of Figs. 6 and 10, the numerals III, II, l2 and I3 are perforated in both schemes in the same manner. Consequently, no switching means need be provided for these numerals since they control the sorting mechanism in the same manner.

It will for instance be seen that with the ad. justment shown in Fig. 11 the lines 85 are connected in the same manner with the contact pieces of the commutator 81 as in Fig. 2 so that sorting of the cards will be effected in accordance with the key shown in Fig. 6. If cards in accordance 'with the key shown in Fig. 10 shall be sorted (the switch mechanism being then in the upper position) identical hole combinations will also select the same lines 85 but due to the changed connections with the commutator 81 the same hole combinations will control different sorting boxes as will be shown by the following examples. The hole combinations of the meaning 3, 6 and 9 according to Fig. 6 are identical with the hole combinations 6, 4 and 3 according to Fig. 10. In two different sorting operations the following selection of lines will be effected: The hole combinations 3 (Fig. 6) and 6 (Fig. 10) will select in both instances the fourth line 85 from above. However, this line is connectedin the adjustment shown in Fig. 11 to the contact piece 3 of the commutator 81 while in the upper adjustment it is connected to the contact piece 6. The cards having identical hole combinations are therefore fed in the one instance into the sorting box 3. (Fig. 3) and in the other instance into the sorting box 6 as required in accordance with the difierent meaning of both for the hole combinations 9 (Fig. 6) and 3 (Fig. 10) and all remaining pairs of hole combinations, and it will be seen that depending upon the adjustment of the switch in Fig. 11 a certain hole combination will be fed into a box corresponding to the meaning of said hole combination.

The described arrangement may, of course, also be readily applied in sorting machines if the different perforation schemes represent characters of different nature such as letters and numerals. The switch mechanism may also be provided for more than two shift positions so that for instance in the one position sorting may be effected according to the numeralsv 0 to l3 while in the second position sorting according to the letter characters a to n and in the third position according to the characters m to 2 can be effected. If the sorter is provided with 26 boxesthe arrangement shown in Fig. 2 must hem, of course, be provided for more than four hole positions and also a corresponding number of sorting entrances 22 (Fig. 1) should then be provided additional switching means must only be effected for those extra boxes (such as for instance for the first 10 boxes a to k) serving also for sorting of numerical hole combinations while the remaining boxes which are only used for the letters I to 2 need no additional switch mechanism.

While there have been shown and described and printed out the novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will umns, wherein one machine cycle corresponds to the passage of one card, means for analyzing the record card perforations, a sorting mecha- 20 nism controlled in a subsequent machine cycle in accordance with the perforations of a record column analyzed in one machine cycle, two sets of storing devices cooperating with the analyzing means and the sorting mechanism, each storing device being adapted to retain the result of the analysis and one set of said storing devices being under card control in one machine cycle while the other set controls in the same machine cycle the sorting mechanism, and means for selectively 30 rendering said two sets of storing devices common to said plurality of record decks responsive to a record column in any one of said record decks.

2. In a cyclically operable automatic sorting machine for perforated record cards having a plurality of superposed record decks, each deck comprising a plurality of adjacent record columns, wherein one machine cycle corresponds to the passage of one card, common means for analyzing any one of the aligned record columns in superposed record decks, a sorting mechanism controlled in asubsequent machine cycle in accordance with the perforations of a record column analyzed by said analyzing means in one machine cycle, two sets of storing devices cooperatingwith the analyzing means and the sorting mechanism. each storing device being adapted to retain the result of the analysis and one set of said storing devices being under record card control in one machine cycle while the other set controls in the same machine cycle the sorting mechanism, and means for selectively controlling said two sets of storing devices through said common analyzing means by a. record column in any one of said plurality of superposed record decks.

3. In a cyclically operable automatic sorting machine for hole combinatlonal record cards having a plurality of superposed record decks, each deck comprising a plurality of adjacent record columns, wherein one machine cycle corresponds to the passage of one card, common means for analyzing any one of the aligned hole combinational record columns in superposed record decks, a 'sorting mechanism controlled in a subsequent machine cycle in accordance with the hole combination analyzed by said analyzing means in one machine cycle, two sets of storing devices cooperating with theanalyzing means and the sorting mechanism each set being adapted to retain for one machine cycle the result of an analysis and one set of the storing devices being in one machine cycle under record card control while the other set controls the sorting mechanism in the same machine cycle, and means for selectively controlling said two sets of storing devices through said common analyzing means by a hole combinational record column in any one of said plurality of superposed record decks.

4. In a. cyclically operable automatic sorting machine for perforated record cards having a plurality 'of superposed record decks, each deck comprising a plurality of adjacent record columns, wherein one machine cycle corresponds to the passage of one card, analyzing means for 10 said record cards, a sorting mechanism controlled in the subsequent machine cycle in accordance with the perforations of record cards analyzed by said analyzing means in one machine cycle, a storing device for retaining the result of the analysis, the same storing device being in each machine cycle-under record card control, another storing device also adapted to retain the result of the analysis and controlling in each machine cycle said sorting mechanism while the first mentioned storing device is under record card control in the same machine cycle, means for causing said card controlled storing device to adjust after analysis in said one machine cycle and before the sorting operation in said subsequent machine 26 cycle said sorting mechanism controlling storing device, means for clearing before said adjustment said sorting mechanism controlling storing device and for clearing after said adjustment and before analysis of the subsequent card said card con- 30 trolled storing device, and means for selectively rendering said card controlled storing device responsive to a record column in any one of said plurality of superposed record decks.

5. In a cyclically operable automatic sorting machine for perforated record cards having a plurality of superposed record decks, each deck comprising a plurality of adjacent record columns, wherein one machine cycle corresponds to the passage of one card, common means for an- 40 alyzing any one of the aligned record columns in superposed record decks, a sorting mechanism controlled in the subsequent machine cycle in accordance with the perforations of record cards" analyzed by said analyzing means in one machine cycle, a storing device for retaining the result of the analysis, the same storing device being in each machine cycle under record card control, another storing device also adapted to retain the result of the analysis and controlling in each machine cycle said sorting mechanism while the first mentioned storing device is under record card control in the same machine cycle, means for causing said card controlled storing device to control after analysis in said onemachine cycle and before the sorting operation in said subsequent machine cycle said sorting mechanism controlling storing device, means for clearing before said operation said sorting mechanism controlling storing device andfor clearing after said operation and before analysis of the subsequent card said card controlled storing device, and means for selectively controlling said card controlled storing device through said common analyzing means by a record column in any one of said plurality of superposed record decks.

-6. In a cyclically operable automatic sorting machine for hole combinational record cards having a plurality of superposed record decks, each deck comprising a plurality of adjacent record columns, wherein one machine cycle corresponds to the passage of one card, common means for analyzing any.- one of. the aligned hole combinational record columns in superposed record decks, a sorting mechanismcontrolled in the subsequent machine cycle in accordance with the perforations of record cards analyzed by said analyzing means in one machine cycle, a storing device for retaining the result of the analysis, the same storing device being in each machine cycle under record card control, another storing device 5' also adapted to retain the result of the analysis and controlling in each machine cycle said sorting mechanism while the first mentioned storing device is under record card control in the same machine cycle, means for causing said card con- 10 trolled storing device to adjust after analysis in said one machine cycle and before the storing operation in said subsequent machine cycle said sorting mechanism controlling storing device, means for clearing before said adjustment said 15 sorting mechanism controlling storing device and for clearing after said adjustment and before analysis of the subsequent card said card controlled storing device, and means for selectively controlling said card controlled storing device 20 through said common analyzing means by a hole combinational record column in any one of said plurality of superposed record decks.

7. In a cyclically operable automatic sorting machine for perforated record cards having a 25 plurality of superposed record decks,'each deck comprising a plurality of adjacent record col-- umns, wherein one machine cycle corresponds to the passage of one card, analyzing means for said record cards, a sorting mechanism controlled in 30 a subsequent machine cycle in accordance with the perforations of a record column analyzed by said analyzing means in one machine cycle, two sets of storing devices commomto said plurality of record decks and cooperating with the analyz- 35 ing means and the sorting mechanism, each storing device being adapted to retain the result of the analysis and one set of said storing devices being under the control of any one of said record decks in one machine cycle while the other set 40 controls in the same machine cycle the sorting mechanism, and means for selectively changing the controlling action of said record card perforations upon said sorting mechanism to control the latter in the same manner under the control 45 of different perforations.

8. In a cyclically operable automatic sorting machine for perforated record cards having a plurality of superposed record decks, each deck comprising a plurality of adjacent record col- 50 umns, wherein one machine cycle corresponds to the passage of one card, common means for analyzing any one of the aligned record columns in superposed record decks, a sorting mechanism controlled in a subsequent machine cycle in ac- 55 cordance with the perforations of a record column analyzed by said analyzing means in one machine cycle, two sets of storing devices cooperating with the analyzing means and the sorting mechanism each storing device being adapted to 60 retain the result of the analysis and one set of said storing devices being under record card control in one machine cycle while the other set controls in the same machine cycle the sorting mechanism, means for selectively controlling said two 65 sets of storing devices through said common analyzing means by a record column in any one of said plurality of superposed record decks, and means for selectively changing the controlling action of said record card perforations upon said sorting mechanism to control the latter in the same manner under the control of different perforations.

9. In a cyclically operable automatic sorting machine for. hole combinational record cards 75 each deck comprising a plurality of adjacent record columns, wherein one machine cycle corresponds to the passage of one card, common means for analyzing any one of the aligned hole combinational record columns in superposed record decks, a sorting mechanism controlled in a subsequent machine cycle in accordance with the hole combination analyzed by said analyzing means in one machine cycle, two sets of storing devices cooperating with the analyzing means and the sorting mechanism each set being adapted to retain for one machine cycle the result of an analysis and one set of the storing devices being in one machine cycle under record card control while the other setcontrols the sorting mechanism in the same machine cycle, means for selectively controlling said two sets of storing devices through said common analyzing means by a hole combinational record column in any one of said plurality of superposed record'decks, and means for selectively changing the controlling action of said hole combinations upon saidsorting mechanism to control the latter in the same manner under the control of different hole combinations.

10. In a cyclically operable automatic sorting machine for perforated record cards having a plurality of superposed record decks, each deck comprising a plurality of adjacent record columns, wherein one machine cycle corresponds to the passage of one card, common analyzing means for analyzing any one of the aligned record columns in superposed record decks, a sorting mechanism controlled in accordance with the perforations in the record cards, a first set of storing means for retaining the result of the.

analysis, each card passing through the machine controlling'the same first set of storing means, a second set of storing means also adapted to retain the result of the analysis, said sorting mechanism being in each machine cycle under the control of the same second set of storing means while in the same machine cycle the first set of storing means is under record card control, automatic means operative between subsequent sorting operations for clearing at first said second set of storing means, for controlling then said second set of storing means by said first set of storing means and for clearing then said first set of storing means before control of the same by the subsequent card, and means for selectively controlling said first set of storing means through said common analyzing means by a record column in any one of said plurality of superposed record decks, and means for selectively changing the controlling action of said record card perforations upon said sorting mechanism to control the latter in the same manner under the control of different perforations.

11. In 'a cyclically operable automatic sorting machine for perforated record cards wherein one machine cycle corresponds to the passage of one card, means for analyzing each record card, a

sorting mechanism controlled in a subsequent machine cyclein accordance with the perforations of the record cards analyzed by said analyzing means in one machine cycle, a storing device for retaining the result of the analysis, the same storing device being in each machine cycle under record card control, another storing device also adapted to retain the result of the analysis and controlling in each machine cycle said sorting mechanism while the first mentioned storing device is under record card control in the same machine cycle, means for causing said card controlled storing device to control after analysis in -said one machine cycle and before the sorting operation in said subsequent machine cycle said sorting mechanism controlling storing device, means for clearing in each machine cycle said sorting mechanism controlling storing device before said controlling operation, means for clearing ineach machine cycle said card controlled storing device after said controlling operation and before control of said card controlled storing device by the subsequent card, and means for selectively changing the controlling action of said record card perforations upon said sorting mechanism to control the latter in the same manner, under the control of different perforations.

12. In a cyclically operable automatic sorting machine for hole combinational record cards I wherein one machine cycle corresponds to the passage of one card, means for analyzing each record card, a sorting mechanism for sorting said record cards in accordance with the hole combinations represented thereon and controlled in a subsequent machine cycle in accordance with the hole combination analyzed by said analyzing means in one machine cycle, a storing device for retaining the result of the analysis, the same storing device being in each machine cycle under record card control, another storing device also adapted to retain the result of the analysis and controlling in each machine cycle said sorting mechanism while the first mentioned storing deviceis under record card control in the same machine cycle, means for causing said card controlling storing device to control after analysis in said one machine cycle and before the sorting operation in said subsequent machine cycle said sorting mechanism controlling storing device, means' for clearing in each machine cycle said sorting mechanism controlling storing device before said controlling operation, means for clearing in each machine cycle said card controlled storing device after said controlling operation and before control of said card controlled storing device by the subsequent card, wherein one of said storing devices includes a translator for hole combinations, and means for selectively changing the.

MICHAEL MAUL. 

